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Can't stand the idea of spending hours on a plane separated
from the Internet? If you want Web access even when you're a
mile above Earth, the solution is on its way, thanks to Sony's
Trans Com division, which is debuting in-flight access to selected
Web sites. Sony's P@ssport--currently for sale only to
commercial airlines--attaches to the back of the seat in front of
you or to your armrest. Once activated, it hooks into preloaded
servers on the aircraft--which means it's not real-time access,
and only about 500 sites are available. But if your Web craving
will be sated by access to major sites, P@ssport is your ticket. By
now, South African Airways should already have P@ssport on its
planes. Watch for other carriers to join this race to bring the Web
to their passengers.

The Snoop Report

Want to keep tabs on your competitors? Head to NewsEdge's
Company Lookup page (http://www.companylink.com), where
you can get information on more than 65,000 companies. For a fast
way to research sales prospects, vendors, potential partners and
competitors, type in the company's name, and reports appear
on-screen almost immediately. Contact information and links to
press releases and news articles are free. Pay a monthly fee of
$6.95, and more resources--including breakdowns of operating
units--are yours. Other resources are available a la carte
(corporate profiles, for instance, cost $2). Another good place to
hunt for free information: Company News On Call (http://www.prnewswire.com), which
archives the press releases of participating companies.

Trading Places

Stop thinking about entering international markets and get
moving with all the great information you'll find at Tradeport
(http://www.tradeport.org),
a rich site managed by the Bay Area Economic Forum and LA Trade in
San Francisco. Although intended to stimulate California's
import-export business, the site is open to anyone, and it features
everything from tips for new importers or exporters to analyses of
the export potential of many foreign markets. Resources on this
site are plentiful; spend enough time here, and you're sure to
emerge knowing just what you need to do to sell overseas.